That the current Sustainable Organisational Review Process (SORP) will significantly reshape Council functions, to ensure improved service delivery, greater opportunity for officers to undertake meaningful career development, and provide a sustainable financial basis for the Council to continue delivering and improving upon its services to residents and businesses;
That this review also offers an ideal opportunity to re-evaluate the structures of political management, ensuring that any restructuring of the organisation is fully comprehensive and allows for potential innovation across all areas;
That this administration is already undertaking other significant transformational projects, in regards to the Council-controlled development of Skelmersdale Town Centre, new leisure facilities for Skelmersdale and Ormskirk, and upgrades to the Burscough facilities, the continuing development of Ormskirk and its overall economy;
That this council believes:
That the potential for radical restructuring of Council governance exists within the SORP process, and should therefore be considered at this point in time;
That it is appropriate that the role and number of elected members be considered equally alongside those of officers within the review process;
That a concomitant review of governance and service delivery will provide the best opportunity for innovative changes across the council and the way in which its services are delivered at a local level;
That the new Target Operating Model, to be presented to Council in July 2019, will provide clear guidance as to the potential for revising the political management structure;
That this council resolves:
To commence an electoral review process, to review the Council's size, numbers of councillors and ward boundaries, following consideration of the SORP review and the agreement of the new Target Operating Model in July 2019;
To authorise officers to make initial contact with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to establish timescales and likely issues arising from an electoral review and assess the resource provision required.
Minutes:
The following Motion was moved and seconded:
"That the current Sustainable Organisational Review Process (SORP) will significantly reshape Council functions, to ensure improved service delivery, greater opportunity for officers to undertake meaningful career development, and provide a sustainable financial basis for the Council to continue delivering and improving upon its services to residents and businesses;
That this review also offers an ideal opportunity to re-evaluate the structures of political management, ensuring that any restructuring of the organisation is fully comprehensive and allows for potential innovation across all areas;
That this administration is already undertaking other significant transformational projects, in regards to the Council-controlled development of Skelmersdale Town Centre, new leisure facilities for Skelmersdale and Ormskirk, and upgrades to the Burscough facilities, the continuing development of Ormskirk and its overall economy;
That this council believes:
That the potential for radical restructuring of Council governance exists within the SORP process, and should therefore be considered at this point in time;
That it is appropriate that the role and number of elected members be considered equally alongside those of officers within the review process;
That a concomitant review of governance and service delivery will provide the best opportunity for innovative changes across the council and the way in which its services are delivered at a local level;
That the new Target Operating Model, to be presented to Council in July 2019, will provide clear guidance as to the potential for revising the political management structure;
That this council resolves:
To commence an electoral review process, to review the Council's size, numbers of councillors and ward boundaries, following consideration of the SORP review and the agreement of the new Target Operating Model in July 2019;
To authorise officers to make initial contact with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to establish timescales and likely issues arising from an electoral review and assess the resource provision required."
A vote was taken, the Motion was CARRIED.
RESOLVED: A. That this council believes:
1) That the potential for radical restructuring of Council governance exists within the SORP process, and should therefore be considered at this point in time.
2) That it is appropriate that the role and number of elected members be considered equally alongside those of officers within the review process.
3) That a concomitant review of governance and service delivery will provide the best opportunity for innovative changes across the council and the way in which its services are delivered at a local level.
4) That the new Target Operating Model, to be presented to Council in July 2019, will provide clear guidance as to the potential for revising the political management structure.
B. That this Council resolves:
1) To commence an electoral review process, to review the Council's size, numbers of councillors and ward boundaries, following consideration of the SORP review and the agreement of the new Target Operating Model in July 2019.
2) To authorise officers to make initial contact with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to establish timescales and likely issues arising from an electoral review and assess the resource provision required.